


Youngest Son

by Zappy



Series: Mila Verse [19]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Kid Fic, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-17
Updated: 2017-06-17
Packaged: 2018-11-15 05:13:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11224029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zappy/pseuds/Zappy
Summary: Garak is becoming exasperated with Julian having children without discussing it with him first. He rather thought being notified in advance was one of the perks of being married.





	Youngest Son

Garak was setting the table with help from Zorana when he heard the door open. Julian had been getting home later and later as of that past week, there was a large outbreak of a deadly disease he was fighting and that meant longer hours and stress. To help ease his partner and take some of that stress away he’d started having dinner ready by the time he returned. Garak had never really been a cook before, but needs must and on a planet where you were lucky to find a working replicator in an entire city block, learning to cook had become essential.

 

Privately, Garak hoped that one of their five kids might take up the skill soon. Mila was fifteen and was the most promising of the lot as she was trying to become more independent after the events of the previous year. It both made him proud to see and broke his heart a little. Sosia always had her nose in a book and didn’t seem to have any interest. Zorana, the artist of the family (and didn’t that just bring bittersweet memories of another Cardassian girl who just wanted to make art?) had no desire to learn the art of cooking. Talam knew a bit from watching his birth parents so more often than not the eleven year old boy ended up being Garak’s assistant during meal prep.

 

He knew better than to think Evazen would ever grow a desire to cook, only eight and she knew she wanted to build things, fix them as she felt only  _ she _ could. Just as he was musing how they’d ever manage to survive raising this lot, Julian walked into the dining room. He hadn’t changed out of his medical uniform yet, or even washed the dust and sweat from his face.

 

Garak could see why, Julian’s arms were rather full with a Cardassian child.

 

Were it even two years ago, Garak would have repressed his sigh. He didn’t bother now, though he softened it by giving his partner a fond exasperated look, “My dear, I thought you promised me you’d consult me before procuring  _ another _ child. I realize our family is not by any means normal, but I feel  _ both _ parents should be notified beforehand.”

 

Julian didn’t smile, and that was what sent alarm bells ringing in Garak’s head. With a look to Zorana, he set down the plate he’d been holding and left her to finish setting the table as he closed the distance between himself and his human partner. As he neared, he noticed the child was asleep, but not in the best condition. This time when he spoke his tone was more serious and much softer, “What happened, Julian?”

 

After closing his eyes tightly and taking a deep breath, Julian managed to choke out, “This is Gilora Demel’s son, Eotel. She died today. From her sickness.” His beloved human doctor, heart so large as to accept even  _ him _ into it, always took losing a patient hard and mothers especially. Garak put a hand on Julian’s lower back and waited as he got ahold of himself before asking his question.

 

“How does that result in Eotel being in your lovely arms?”

 

“Gilora wasn’t married. Her lover died at the end of the war.” Julian confessed quietly, and now Garak knew there was no chance Julian would have been able to leave the boy to his fate.

 

“To be an orphan due to war and illness is one thing. Even this New Cardassia does not tolerate bastards overly well.” Garak replied needlessly but he felt he had to get those bitter words out unless they festered inside him. “And did Miss Demel request you take in her son?”

 

Julian shook his head and buried his face in the crown of Eotel’s head, muffling his voice. “She just wanted me to make sure Eotel took his new family’s name, to avoid the shame. But  _ Elim _ ,” and oh dear he used his first name, paired with looking through his lashes at him beseechingly, “there’s no way I could find a family that could properly take care of a child so young and  _ willing _ to take him in. We’re his best chance.”

 

And as the other four times he’s said something similar to him, Garak had to concede that Julian was right. Even if he hadn’t built a very strong case, Garak knew he’d still have had a hard time refusing that face. So with as much dignity he could muster he let out a fond sigh, “I’ll gather the children so they can meet their new brother.”

 

His partner’s smile could rival the Cardassian Sun it was so radiant, and the kiss he placed on Garak’s cheek warmed him just as a sunbeam would. They already had five children, what was one more going to change? He did however, make a mental note to adjust his defense plans to include the three year old and to notify Lok that he’d be taking a few days off. Garak had a son to get to know.


End file.
